Handheld electronic device and keypad providing enhanced usability and reduced size, and associated method

Abstract

An improved handheld electronic device, keypad, and method in accordance with the invention meet these and other needs. An improved handheld electronic device having an improved keypad provides enhanced usability and reduced size by organizing its keys in pairs, with a pair of keys being disposed on a support. Each key of a pair of keys is individually actuatable. An actuation of a key causes a primary conductor associated with the key set to electrically to connect a pair of contacts and to cause a secondary conductor associated with the key to electrically connect another pair of contacts. The primary conductor is a dome that is collapsible to electrically connect the pair of contacts and to provide a particular tactile feedback to the user. The secondary conductor is a conductor other than a collapsible dome. An actuation of any key or of any pair of keys thus provides to the user a consistent tactile feedback from a collapse of a single dome. An improved method in accordance with the invention is also disclosed.

1. A keypad structured to be incorporated into a handheld electronic device, the keypad comprising:
 a contact apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical contacts; 
 a button apparatus comprising a number of key sets, each key set of at least a portion of the number of key sets comprising a pair of keys and a support, the pair of keys being disposed on the support; 
 a primary conductor portion comprising a number of primary conductors that are elastically deflectable between a relaxed position and a deflected position, each primary conductor of at least a portion of the number of primary conductors in the deflected position electrically connecting together a pair of electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts; 
 a secondary conductor portion comprising a number of secondary conductors that are movable between a first position and a second position, each secondary conductor of at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors in the second position electrically connecting together a pair of electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts; 
 the pair of keys comprising a first key and a second key, the first key being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the second key being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position; 
 a primary conductor of the number of primary conductors which corresponds with the key set being in the deflected position when the first key is in the actuated position; 
 a first secondary conductor of the at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors which corresponds with the first key being in the second position when the first key is in the actuated position; 
 the primary conductor which corresponds with the key set being in the deflected position when the second key is in the actuated position; and 
 a second secondary conductor of the at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors which corresponds with the second key being in the second position when the second key is in the actuated position. 
 
     
     
       2. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein the contact apparatus includes a printed circuit board, wherein the primary conductors and the secondary conductors are disposed generally between the printed circuit board and the keys, and wherein the support of a key set is disposed generally between the pair of keys of the key set. 
     
     
       3. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein the secondary conductors are conductive carbon elements movable by the key sets into conductive contact with the electrical contacts. 
     
     
       4. The keypad of  claim 3  wherein the button apparatus includes a flexible mount, at least a portion of the key sets of the number of key sets being disposed on the mount, and at least a portion of the secondary conductors of the number of secondary conductors being disposed on the mount, the mount being structured to be flexed when at least one of a first key and a second key of a key set of the at least a portion of the key sets is actuated. 
     
     
       5. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein the first key has a first linguistic element assigned thereto, wherein the second key has a second linguistic element assigned thereto, and wherein the key set has a third linguistic element assigned thereto. 
     
     
       6. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein a key set of the number of key sets is disposed adjacent another key set of the number of key sets, the another key set comprising another support and another pair of keys comprising another first key and another second key, the support between the first key and the second key providing a space between the first key and the second key, the another support between the another first key and the another second key providing another space between the another first key and the another second key, the key set and the another key set having a pitch space therebetween, the space and the another space being smaller than the pitch space. 
     
     
       7. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein the button apparatus includes a number of actuators, each key set of at least a portion of the number of key sets having associated therewith an associated actuator of the number of actuators which extends away from the key set in a direction generally toward the contact apparatus and which is engageable with an associated primary conductor of the number of primary conductors to move the associated primary conductor between the relaxed position and the deflected position. 
     
     
       8. The keypad of  claim 7  wherein the button apparatus includes a flexible mount disposed generally between the contact apparatus and at least a portion of the key sets of the number of key sets, and wherein at least a portion of the associated actuators are each one of a protrusion formed on the flexible mount and a protrusion that is formed on a key set of the number of key sets and that extends through an opening formed in the flexible mount. 
     
     
       9. The keypad of  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of the associated actuators are each disposed generally adjacent the support of the key set. 
     
     
       10. The keypad of  claim 1  wherein the first secondary conductor is disposed generally between the first key and the contact apparatus, and wherein the second secondary conductor is disposed generally between the second key and the contact apparatus. 
     
     
       11. A handheld electronic device comprising:
 a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memory; 
 an input apparatus comprising a keypad, the input apparatus being cooperable with the processor apparatus to provide input to the processor apparatus; and 
 an output apparatus cooperable with the processor apparatus to receive signals from the processor apparatus and to provide output; 
 the keypad comprising a contact apparatus, a button apparatus, a primary conductor portion, and a secondary conductor portion; 
 the a contact apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical contacts; 
 the button apparatus comprising a number of key sets, each key set of at least a portion of the number of key sets comprising a pair of keys and a support, the pair of keys being disposed on the support; 
 the primary conductor portion comprising a number of primary conductors that are elastically deflectable between a relaxed position and a deflected position, each primary conductor of at least a portion of the number of primary conductors in the deflected position electrically connecting together a pair of electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts; 
 the secondary conductor portion comprising a number of secondary conductors that are movable between a first position and a second position, each secondary conductor of at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors in the second position electrically connecting together a pair of electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts; 
 the pair of keys comprising a first key and a second key, the first key being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the second key being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position; 
 a primary conductor of the number of primary conductors which corresponds with the key set being in the deflected position when the first key is in the actuated position; 
 a first secondary conductor of the at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors which corresponds with the first key being in the second position when the first key is in the actuated position; 
 the primary conductor which corresponds with the key set being in the deflected position when the second key is in the actuated position; and 
 a second secondary conductor of the at least a portion of the number of secondary conductors which corresponds with the second key being in the second position when the second key is in the actuated position. 
 
     
     
       12. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the contact apparatus includes a printed circuit board, wherein the primary conductors and the secondary conductors are disposed generally between the printed circuit board and the keys, and wherein the support of a key set is disposed generally between the pair of keys of the key set. 
     
     
       13. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the secondary conductors are conductive carbon elements movable by the key sets into conductive contact with the electrical contacts. 
     
     
       14. The handheld electronic device of  claim 13  wherein the button apparatus includes a flexible mount, at least a portion of the key sets of the number of key sets being disposed on the mount, and at least a portion of the secondary conductors of the number of secondary conductors being disposed on the mount, the mount being structured to be flexed when at least one of a first key and a second key of a key set of the at least a portion of the key sets is actuated. 
     
     
       15. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the first key has a first linguistic element assigned thereto, wherein the second key has a second linguistic element assigned thereto, and wherein the key set has a third linguistic element assigned thereto. 
     
     
       16. The handheld electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the memory includes a number of routines stored therein, at least one of the routines being executable on the processor to provide to the processor a plurality of input modes, the plurality of input modes including a first input mode and a second input mode, the processor in the first input mode being adapted to detect an actuation of the first key as an input of the first linguistic element and to detect an actuation of the second key as an input of the second linguistic element, the processor in the second input mode being adapted to detect an actuation of the first key as an input of the third linguistic element and to detect an actuation of the second key as an input of the third linguistic element. 
     
     
       17. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein a key set of the number of key sets is disposed adjacent another key set of the number of key sets, the another key set comprising another support and another pair of keys comprising another first key and another second key, the support between the first key and the second key providing a space between the first key and the second key, the another support between the another first key and the another second key providing another space between the another first key and the another second key, the key set and the another key set having a pitch space therebetween, the space and the another space being smaller than the pitch space. 
     
     
       18. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the button apparatus includes a number of actuators, each key set of at least a portion of the number of key sets having associated therewith an associated actuator of the number of actuators which extends away from the key set in a direction generally toward the contact apparatus and which is engageable with an associated primary conductor of the number of primary conductors to move the associated primary conductor between the relaxed position and the deflected position. 
     
     
       19. The handheld electronic device of  claim 18  wherein the button apparatus includes a flexible mount disposed generally between the contact apparatus and at least a portion of the key sets of the number of key sets, and wherein at least a portion of the associated actuators are each one of a protrusion formed on the flexible mount and a protrusion that is formed on a key set of the number of key sets and that extends through an opening formed in the flexible mount. 
     
     
       20. The handheld electronic device of  claim 18  wherein at least a portion of the associated actuators are each disposed generally adjacent the support of the key set. 
     
     
       21. The handheld electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the first secondary conductor is disposed generally between the first key and the contact apparatus, and wherein the second secondary conductor is disposed generally between the second key and the contact apparatus. 
     
     
       22. A method of enabling input into a handheld electronic device of a type that includes an input apparatus having a pair of keys, the pair of keys including a first key having a first linguistic element assigned thereto and a second key having a second linguistic element assigned thereto, the pair of keys having a third linguistic element assigned thereto, the handheld electronic device being operable in at least a first input mode and a second input mode, the method comprising:
 detecting in the first input mode at least one of:
 an actuation of the first key as being an input of the first linguistic element; and 
 an actuation of the second key as being an input of the second linguistic element; and 
 
 detecting in the second input mode an actuation of the first key as being an input of the third linguistic element and an actuation of the second key as being an input of the third linguistic element. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22  wherein said detecting in the first input mode includes detecting in a text mode, and wherein said detecting in the second input mode includes at least one of detecting in a telephone mode and detecting in a numeric mode.